Bringing people together

After acquiring ownership of Merriweather Post Pavilion in 2016, the Commission began working to realize a new vision for Columbia, one in which Merriweather and Downtown Columbia are recognized throughout the Mid-Atlantic as premier destinations for arts, culture, and community.

In 2017, the Commission hosted a series of well-received and well-attended outdoor movie nights at Merriweather Post Pavilion, and in the years ahead, it will steadily expand community and cultural programming to complement the popular music shows that have been, and will continue to be, Merriweather's staple.

In addition to programming at Merriweather, the Commission has supported community arts groups and programming in a variety of ways since its founding in 2013, such as:

Providing over $100,000 in grants to local organizations to support dynamic, engaging and inclusive community, cultural, and artistic programming throughout Columbia. Notable grants include $10,000 to the Columbia 50th Birthday Party organization to support Downtown Columbia’s first “Plein Air” event and $5,000 to the Columbia Orchestra for its inaugural performance at the Chrysalis Amphitheater in Columbia, attended by over 2,500 guests.

The Commission also helped facilitate the use of Merriweather Post Pavilion for OPUS 1, a celebration of art, music, technology and food described by the Washington Post as “The surreal party Columbia needs.”

And finally, DCACC hosted a pre-concert celebration for Merriweather Post Pavilion’s 50th Birthday party that included a signature cake shaped like the storied venue and made by world-famous Charm City Cakes.